Besides his importance as a Christian mystic, "St. Symeon - The New Theologian" is a valuable source of information concerning the objectives of a spiritual father and his clients, the kinds of training given by a father to his disciples, and the difficulties encountered in the relationship. These and kindred matters are considered in some detail in this study, which comprises an examination of Symeon's background, his experience as a disciple and a spiritual father and of the teaching he gave in the latter capacity. The author has been able to make use of three letters written by Symeon the texts of which have not yet been published.

This book is the first full-length work concerning the restoration and excavations carried out at Qal’at Sem’an in Syria in the twentieth century. It was written by the notable architect and archaeologist Georges Tchalenko based on his notes, plans, photographs and sketches as he undertook the work in the years before and during the Second World War. Left unpublished at the time of his death during the Lebanese Civil War, it is published here for the first time in the original French with an English translation. The text is richly illustrated throughout and accompanied by a biographical essay by John Tchalenko and an introduction to the historiography of Qal’at Sem’an and Symeon Stylites by Emma Loosley Leeming.

Drawing on a range of philosophical and theological writings produced in eleventh-century Byzantium, this book offers a reading of the icon and Byzantine aesthetics that not only expands our understanding of these topics but challenges our assumptions about the work of art itself.

Publisher Description

This three-volume set presents fundamental information about the most important events in world religious history as well as substantive discussions of their significance and impact. This work offers readers a broad and thorough look at the greatest events in world religious history, covering a wide range of religions, time periods, and areas around the globe. The entries present authoritative information and informed viewpoints written by expert contributors that enable readers to easily learn about the chief events in religious history, help them to better understand the course of world history, and promote a greater respect for culturally diverse religious traditions. The first of the three volumes covers religion from the preliterary world through around AD 600; the second, the post-classical era from 600 to 1450; and the third, the modern era from 1450 to the present. Each volume begins with a substantive introduction that discusses the history of world religions during the period covered by the volume. The chronologically ordered entries overview each event, place it in historical context, and identify the reasons for its enduring significance.